After coming out against Below Deck Sailing Yacht star Gary King in a bombshell Rolling Stone report accusing him of sexual misconduct against women on the cast and crew, former Below Deck production members Samantha Suarez and Grey Duddleston have filed a lawsuit against King, NBCUniversal and Bravo.
The lawsuit, which also names the production companies behind the Bravo series, points to an incident in Summer 2022 when the show was filming Season 4 in Sardinia. Suarez, who worked as a hair and makeup artist on the show, alleges King held her “hostage” in his hotel room when she went to deliver snacks and water to cast members. King, whom the lawsuit describes as a “longtime cast member, known drunkard, and serial harasser” allegedly, “restrained” Suarez in his room and tried to keep her from leaving until she received a phone call from another crew member.
In the complaint, Suarez says she was “sure she was about to be raped.”
King reportedly “engaged in further misconduct” after the incident, including making lewd remarks and grabbing the genitals of two camera operators. The incidents were reported by Duddleston, Suarez’s then-boyfriend who worked as a camera operator on the show.
The complaint notes Suarez was later reprimanded for telling others that she was assaulted as 51 Minds and NBC investigated the incident. She was told the Below Deck star would be let go if another incident occurred, even after he “admitted everything.”
Eventually, Suarez and Duddleston were both terminated and believe they have been placed on a “do not hire” list, leaving them “virtually unemployable” in their fields.
The lawsuit alleges Suarez and Duddleston were informed that the production company opted to fire King from the show but “were overruled by NBC,” noting the company “did not want to sacrifice its cash cow for the sake of two crew members” even though King had developed “a well-deserved reputation for sexually aggressive behavior and alcohol abuse.”
Decider reached out to reps for King and NBCUniversal but did not hear back by time of publication.
Many of the allegations outlined in the lawsuit were first brought forth in the bombshell Rolling Stone report, which featured testimonies from another anonymous crew member who said the ship’s First Mate is “constantly” making women uncomfortable on set.
At the time, Bravo said they are “committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows.” They continued, “The concerns Ms. Suarez raised in July 2022 were investigated at that time and action was taken based on the findings.”
This isn’t the first incident of sexual misconduct the franchise has faced. Below Deck Down Under star Luke Jones was fired from the show after producers and the boating crew had to intervene when he he repeatedly made advances towards Margot Sisson.
If you or someone you know needs to reach out about sexual abuse or assault, RAINN is available 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE (4673), or online at RAINN.org.
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